(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a device for manipulating vehicle built-in devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a manipulation device capable of issuing instructions to vehicle built-in devices using diagrams that are preferably drawn by a finger on the surface of a pad unit through the motion of a hand.
(b) Background Art
A manipulation device which includes a manipulation unit disposed in a center console near the shift lever of a vehicle and a display unit disposed on an instrument panel away from the manipulation unit are well known in the art. According to this manipulation device, when a hand placed on the manipulation unit is suitably photographed, a captured image of the hand is displayed on the manipulation screen of a vehicular device displayed on the display unit Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10-269012, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, is directed to, a touch panel that is installed in a manipulation unit. According to the 10-269012 publication, when the touch panel is pressed with a finger by moving the finger so that the finger is overlaid on a manipulation button displayed on the manipulation screen, a manipulation instruction corresponding to the manipulation button on which the finger has been overlaid is suitably issued. According to preferred embodiments of Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-216069, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, a touch panel is not suitably provided in a manipulation unit. Instead, according to the 2001-216069 publication, a hand's gestures, such as scissors, rock and paper, are photographed using a camera and suitably corresponding manipulation instructions are issued.
However, the manipulation of overlaying a finger on a desired manipulation button while viewing a manipulation screen, for example as set forth in the 10-269012 publication, may suitably impede driving, where the driver has to suitably turn his eyes to the manipulation screen. Further, the recognition of a hand's gestures, for example as set forth in the 2001-216069 publication, does not necessarily suitably associate, for example, the gesture rock with the manipulation for the increase in volume, and further, related gestures are difficult to remember.
Accordingly, a manipulation using, for example, a finger's trajectories, that is capable of indicating the details of manipulation, rather than the manipulation of selecting and pressing manipulation buttons, is more desirable for manipulation of many features on a manipulation screen, for example, but not limited to, the expansion and reduction of a map on a car navigation manipulation screen, manipulation for the increase and decrease in volume on an audio manipulation screen.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.